


Hearts and Handles

by blankdblank



Series: Prompts/Requests [17]
Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: Cast - Freeform, Chance Meetings, First Date, Hotel, Snuggling, Travel, biggest fans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-11 23:58:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18434795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: Deepestfirefun:You are fanfiction writer and huge fan of RA but what you don´t know is that Richard has been reading your writings and is impressed by your vivid and wild imagination kind of hoping to get to meet you one day. When he is promoting his newest film, the lodge he sees a familiar looking young woman on the front row and can´t stop grinning when he realizes it is the same woman whose writings he has been reading and so when it´s time to take photos with the fans he gets his chance to finally meet you





	Hearts and Handles

**_“Fuck. I just need a bath and a bed…”_**  The thought making the tall Brit groan as he settled into his seat on the plane. For weeks now he had been bounced from one place to another, but finally in Paris he would be granted a reprieve. A break from the cameras and time to just slip unseen through the celeb friendly cities allowing him some semblance of privacy before being drug back into the press storm to promote his latest flic. The Lodge, words emblazoned into his mind at the lit up posters and signs flashing bearing his name under the title for each appearance drawing thousands in line to simply see the man they hoped to see in this unwitnessed thriller bearing their love from dozens of roles prior.

Wetting his lips he grinned easing his leather bound journal across his lap bearing a secret inside. For years now he’d been following the writings of a fanfiction author online, and in all his travels and flights he’d taken to printing out copies to paste inside his journals. This one especially bearing the latest series you had started. One on Francis, a challenging role for him, and your time warp adaptation of him had even left the hair on his arms standing up in the spine tingling tale about being the killers prey turned possession.

From both the killer’s view and the prey’s his heart pounded furiously uncertain how you would end this story just barely into its tenth chapter marking the order of the prey to move into his home to keep the men trying to claim her virtue for themselves. Based in the time of Jack the Ripper, the rival of Hannibal, a member of the discrete killing club Francis frequented. The killers having to band together as Francis lays his claim over his prey, who even to that point bore a private mark, a common mark in your writings but no less shocking each time used, a small heart shaped birthmark on her stomach, unknowingly also on the stomach of the killer watching over her.

The full flight from New York to Paris he bit his lip and gripped his knees and arm rests reading through that series and the other time shifted versions of his other characters making his heart soar as even the foulest of them revealed a glimmer of greatness in them. If only for a fleeting moment, such as Guy as he went down in a raze of bullets in a Bonnie and Clyde esque series with his Sister to fend off the menace crime boss Robin and his band of green clad thugs. 

Each story parted with a print out of the pictures of yourself you had posted, most with odd faces aimed at the camera in varying forms of pajamas, blankets and comfy layers making him wish he was there to hold you and listen to your incredible stories. But always his eyes would linger on the beaming smile under the pooling dark curls spilling over your purple eyes and that adorable freckle just barely out of the corner of your right eye.

The landing gear dropped and he sighed, thankful he was able to finish the latest chapter of the Hannibal/Ripper series once more before tucking his journal away. Wetting his lips he was unable to hide his smirk knowing that it was your usual day that you would post the next chapter in the series only building up his anticipation wondering just what you would send the group through in this part. Or if Francis would gain the right to claim a single hold of his prey’s hand willingly. The ache for his character’s loss of contact with his soulmate only made his wish he could meet you grow greater.

A few hints were given to where you lived, a few terms here and there made him imagine you were close, while a few pictures you had posted pointed to your travels due to work, simply stated as a writer, of sorts. Anonymously he had asked learning you were not a journalist, merely more of a ‘commentator on life’, as you had worded it, whatever that meant. But it surely had improved your drawing talents in the years he had followed you turning him to believe you might be a cartoonist possibly. Again he sighed straightening up in his seat trying to force back the continued hope you just might appear at this event along with his imagined sighting of you earlier on his way to boarding the plane. At least until a stranger stumbled nearly into his lap.

…

 _“At least I didn’t miss my plane.”_  That thought kept rolling through your mind as you huffed smoothing your fingers through your freshly knotted long curly hair that had been wrung out just outside the airport you had entered to get to your flight across the pond to this highly anticipated and very much needed vacation of sorts.

The past few months had been rough and in a drastic shift in work and the loss of a few less than supportive so called friends, you were out here to go invisible and observe. Work, with the new hires your manager had so graciously plopped the watching of onto you, had your voice worn painfully thin each day. Greatly diminishing your supply of favorite teas to soothe your frazzled nerves and vocal chords before you fell so far from graciously into any surface hard or soft nearby to get as much sleep as possible before the next go round.

Another knot had been freed and you filed off the plane almost falling into the lap of one giant avoiding the stretching arms of another. The stolen brush of your thigh in supporting your rise would have to be forgiven as your hand had nearly crashed into the man’s groin to catch yourself. Thankfully landing on a firm thigh while his shoulder caught your wave of curls washing over it earning a startled yet amused chuckle from the faceless stranger you promptly fled the sight of after your unwilling release of a startled squeaked out apology. Your hand fixed tighter on your satchel bearing your hours of notes for your writings and sketches for another project at work coming up you forced yourself not to release until it was over your shoulder again.

.

Over his shoulder after a glance at the man across from him stretching he caught sight of a set of dark curls making his heart clench as his eyes slid to the aqua colored polish on the well trimmed nails bearing dots marking a trail to a small crystal ladybug on the pinky fingers peeking out from under her long maroon sleeves falling over her palms wrinkled badly at fiddling with them no doubt. Around the arm she wove but must have rolled her ankle sending her nearly into his lap. Firmly her hand planted on his thigh drawing an awkward chuckle from the actor in his frozen state as the silky vanilla scented curls slid over his shoulder. 

The momentary stumble was righted at the adorable squeaked apology widening his grin recognizing the embarrassed squeak from one of your formerly posted reaction videos to art a fan had made for one of your stories.

But within a moment of his hand planting on your thigh to help shift you onto your feet again after his deeming cupping your hip would be too intimate at the exposed strip of skin above the waistband of your jeans, you were rushing off the plane leaving him to hope he could catch you at the baggage claim.

Anxiously he sat until his turn to get off, eagerly he moved until he had to withhold his groan at the guards he was enforced to use by the film team ensuring his safe arrival and travel between locations greatly slowing his race after you. Right away he spotted what he took as his bag for the guard to grab freeing him to look around the room for any sign of you. And sure enough across the carousel there you stood, with a eerily similar bag at your side, right on the way to him.  _“Shit, shit, shit…What am I going to say?!”_

..

Bouncing on your toes you tried to read the signs for the right way to go absolutely hating the double checking pattern of your glances from your ticket stub to confirm which way to go that drew a less than friendly guard over to move you along. But sure enough here you stood staring along with the masses at the empty baggage carousel as you heard a wave of people coming up behind you into the empty hall.

A slot opened snapping you from your thoughts and one by one you eyed the bags until a large silver suitcase came into view with a soon blocked sketch of a dragon along the edge of it to remind your easily fumbling self in rushed situations surrounded by people which bag your hand had to latch onto. Hoping you wouldn’t just get drug around like an idiot. Sure enough your hand latched on. But with the shoulder of a man on a phone crashing into your side the luggage tag tore free and you stood there unable to say anything but stare at it dumbly while your mind muttered,  _“fuck…”_

Peering upwards again, there it went, off into the circular void as you mentally tried to boost yourself up for attempt number two as the crowds arrived. Around the corner it went as you spotted an identical bag, somehow also with a sketch on the side, making you peer at your tag confirming you hadn’t lost your mind. Looking over again you spotted your taggless bag being pointed at by the same black leather sleeve bearing arm that had helped you up straight again pointing at your bag for a guard to collect and add to a luggage cart. The arm itself belonging to none other than Richard Armitage.  _“Double fuck…”_

He grabbed your bag moving it from the guard to the cart and you promptly grabbed the double trying not to imagine him opening your bag seeing your far from homely undergarments you had chosen to bring, just to at least wear them once and have them as you confidence boosters that you and you alone would see.

 _“No, don’t think about that_..” that could only lead to more heated imaginings of what would happen next. No, you grabbed the doppelganger and wove through the crowd to be blocked by a trio of nearly seven foot tall living cinderblocks glaring down at you as you flashed them a timid smile.

“I think he grabbed my bag by mistake.” You flashed your torn luggage tag only to see the actor himself, who had watched your approach, step closer with your bag at his side and a curious grin spreading on his face contrasting his racing heart.  ** _“Purple eyes…It’s got to be her…”_**

In an amused purr at your ragged inhale trying to keep your eyes on his, he asked, “How can you be certain it’s yours and not another unfortunate tag bearing strangers?”

Your brow ticked up as your eyes fell to the bag trying to think of anything unique far from the lingerie you had packed with only one thing coming to mind. Your lips parted only to have your eyes fall on the group of actors looking on with amused grins. Somehow the notion of being the center of their private joke you lost your nerve to voice what it held aloud to all of them, knowing it was bad enough to admit it to the man in front of you.  ** _“Oh fuck. Too far..”_**  At your response his expression dulled and he instantly regretted putting you on the spot and nearly eased the bag over to you anyways until he caught your determined flicker in your eyes as you gave him a two finger wag calling him down to your height.  ** _“Or not..”_**

Unable to help it he smirked again leaning forward feeling his inner child jumping for joy at the remembrance of his love for sharing secrets then darting away to safety. What you described seemed innocent enough, a journal with formerly blank back, though the object of your embarrassment was clearly the image you had sketched across the back of it. Shifting from the place just inches from your very kissable lips he moved to unzip the top pouch watching your hand rise to curl your knuckles across your lips almost making him chuckle at the sight of it resembling his favored sheepish and anxious pose of yours until he caught a full glance at what you had created on the journal in his hands.

Proudly Francis Dolarhyde stood bare to the world with a small mirror in hand, aimed over his shoulder at his dragon tattoo reflected on the unseen tall mirror at the edge of the sketch. While his bare front was exposed in a stunning reflection across the stormy view over his vast lands with only a small shadowy group of trees covering his groin just barely below the iconic heart birthmark. Each detail staggering in the black and grey lifelike portrait bearing a near smirk across the scarred lip of the savage killer peering in at his full colored tattoo.

Straightened up again Richard felt his bag ease against his leg from your gentle nudging of it closer to him and he sealed the pocket to pass yours back to you, now knowing he knew full well who you were as your brushed your curls back behind your ear exposing your iconic freckle. His next question rumbled out only to confirm it, “You don’t want me to sign it?” He rumbled out in a purr grinning at your creeping blush.

Your head shook and you claimed the journal he almost reluctantly handed over at the curiosity for what was inside it. Pressing the image to your chest folding an arm over it, you replied, “No, thank you. My, cousin tucked it in there before I left, obviously. To have you sign it would only encourage her bad behavior.”

 ** _“And there it is. The fabled imagined cousin to take the blame for all your bad behavior.”_**  At the thought rolling through his head as to just what else you had used this ‘cousin’ to excuse he grinned wider catching your wish to flee in your glance for a clear path then back to him as he asked, “I do have to ask though. Why is he fully naked?”

Instantly your fear was gone and a glint of a challenge flashed in your eyes triggering his grin even wider at you fired back, “Oh don’t even blame me, Mr I’m suddenly immune to wearing pants in my films and shows!”

A flat out laugh left the actor triggering his eyes to drop over you in your somehow now cocky stance in front of him nipping at his lip.  ** _“Oh, this is perfect.”_**  His teeth freed his lip as he readied to do the unthinkable, attempt to gain your contact info.

A call from behind him from the guards drew his eyes off you for just a moment, but that was all it took. You were off through the crowds again towards the waiting line of taxis, with one driver all too eager to help you with your bag up into the boot and easing the door shut behind you when you had eased through the door he had opened for you. His smile holding as you stated the lavish hotel you were guaranteed a room in for your stay.

For these brief excursions you were grateful to be caught in a 200 year old rivalry as both sides of your family fought to win over the younger generations leading to pampering. Lavish rooms in unspeakably lavish hotels from your grandfather’s brother included along with the trip to the shows you were granted tickets from your grandmothers cousin with a few other stops along the way to add to the sweet deal.

.

Through the streets you watched Paris growing and bustling around you until you were parked at the front entrance with a pair of men hustling over, one to open your door as you handed the bills to the driver and the other to collect your bag for you. Instantly when they spotted you in your move to straighten your shirt over your sides they caught the resemblance to the owner and smiled back when you gave them a returned “hello.”

After them you entered the lobby through the door they opened and walked straight to the eager manager already holding your room packet at the end ready to lead you up to your room after your long flight.

The full ride up to the fourth floor from the top he chatted about how glad he was to have you under their care again. Then he broke into a full recap of all the new exhibits and shows in town for you to experience if you wished as well as a confirmation that he would expedite your delivery person for your Chinese food order. Greatly improving your wait from the first stay out here where you had to go down and fetch it yourself to complete your relaxing pattern of eating through at random movie until you felt yourself unable to hold off sleep anymore.

A final grin was shared as he left you halfway ready to pass out from him draining all the air from the room at his long winded flurry of a welcome. Sure you appreciated it but as the relative of the owner and not anyone overly special past that you felt a bit unworthy but no less ungrateful for his special attentions to your needs in your stay. With a sigh you left your bag by the bed and you sat down finally releasing the label crumpled in your curled fingers.

…

 ** _“Fuck…Where did she go?”_**  Richard’s eyes scanned over the crowds and he bit his lip again nodding as he turned to follow the guard urging him on to the waiting vans outside. His only glimmer of happiness being his hand holding the handle just moments before being held by you. The single contact with the fabric middle man eased a smirk onto his lips as his flickering hope that you would cross paths again returned again.

Upwards his eyes scanned over the lavish hotel in his path out of the van then lower to the waiting group of men gathering their bags to follow them to the counters to fetch their keys to the rooms on the top four floors. A chime from his pocket made him draw out his phone and grin at the message from Hugh Dancy that him and Mads were on their way over to his hotel to spend the evening with him before they had to take the train out to another event short notice leaving flying out of the question as they were still recovering form the jet lag from their last five flights in the past two weeks.

All the way up to his room he stood quietly letting his cast mates banter with the manager until he was freed to ease into his suite and let out his irritated sigh at losing you so suddenly. Grumbling his inner argument with himself for not racing after you he rolled his bag into his room leaving it in the closet, hastily typing the room number and firing it off in his drop to sit then lay back across his bed only to groan again and rub his face recounting each moment with you while the spot on his thigh you had touched all but burned reminding him of your hands place there.

…

Three knocks sounded after a set of chuckles as the bantering actors stood outside the hotel door awaiting their friend only to fall silent and lower their gazes to the barefoot sweater and flannel short clad woman widely peering up at them both mumbling, “You’re, not food…”

Unable to help it at your puzzled purple gaze Mads chuckled and purred back, “I sure hope not. Though with those eyes I am certain you could convince me.”

His hope for a chuckle or a grin only made you inhale then glance at Hugh as he furrowed his brows rereading the message mumbling, “745…” His finger tapped Richard’s icon and he raised the phone to his ear as your bill holding hand was curled to your middle and covered by your other hand gently stroking the skin along your fingers at your nerves. “What is your room number?” He nodded then said, “Ah, you typed it wrong.”

Mad’s eyes narrowed as he watched you brush your curls from your face exposing your freckle, “I know you.” His finger wagged in the air as he tried to place it.

Softly you mumbled, “I, don’t think we’ve met.”

Hugh wet his lips saying, “Be up in a moment.”

He hung up then watched as Mads drew out his phone. “Could I take a picture with you?”

Blankly you nodded and the pair folded around you, with Hugh being sure to block your room number with his hand saying, “Big smile.”

You forced a beaming grin out instantly clicking where they knew you from as they eyed it on the phone screen holding their grins when they eased back and Mads added, “I’ll post this, you can save it from there, ok?”

You nodded then eyed the elevator and bit your lip sealing Mad’s sneaking another picture of your reaction before you mumbled, “Food.” The delivery guy walked up with a grin at you and the actors as you waved at them saying, “Nice to meet you.”

They both nodded and Hugh chuckled out as he stepped onto the elevator, “I’m certain we’ll be seeing one another again very soon.” Your brow ticked up as the doors closed, only to drop as you accepted your bag of food and the drink, pay the delivery guy who then turned to wait for the elevator to open again after he hit the button when you closed the door to your room. Curiously you set the food out on a towel at the foot of your bed in front of the screen only to turn your head to your phone on the night table charging as the screen lit up again and again.

.

In the elevator Hugh glanced over Mad’s shoulder asking, “You didn’t?!” Mads chuckled pocketing his phone after posting the image with the caption of  _‘In the mood for a good Hannibal thriller? I know where you can find a few._ ’ with your username tagged after it to your story page on Tumblr.

Through the doors he passed and followed Hugh to Richard’s actual hotel room where the brit opened the door right away with a grin asking, “Order in or are we heading out?”

After they settled on a place they led Richard back onto the elevator and Hugh blurted out, “You are not going to guess who we ran into downstairs.” Mads flashed him the picture making his lips part.

Richard, “You saw her? Downstairs? In the lobby?”

They shook their heads and Richard glanced at the picture again then muttered, “The room number I sent you..”

Mads nodded and Hugh answered, “She was waiting on dinner herself.”

Mads, “Had she not we’d have invited her along.”

Hugh, “Perhaps you could send up a dessert later.”

Richard rolled his eyes, “We didn’t even trade names.”

Their heads went to him and they both asked, “You’ve met?!”

Richard gave a brief recap about the luggage and your darting off finishing with, “She was just gone. She didn’t mention why she was in town, did she?”

Hugh shook his head and Mads answered, “Not a clue, but, you can ask in a note with dessert.”

Richard chuckled shaking his head, “I don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. Just showing up at her room uninvited without even trading names.”

Hugh wet his lips, “We’ll think of something.”

Mads, “No doubt she might assume it was you. We show up at her room and not long after are photographed out to eat with you. Two and two, Rich.”

Richard chuckled, “Well we are in the same hotel, no doubt if I lose my resolve I could always sent a note or something.” The pair grinned settling on their plan of nudging their friend over the edge of deciding on giving your door a knock of his own.

..

After an hour you had to turn your alert off for Tumblr and were thankful for the private email used solely for your account racking up with notices on the thousands of followers you had jumped in the first hour alone from your pitiful twenty seven with countless notes on the hundreds of series and stand alone stories you had posted and organized in the masterlist you had reblogged just that morning with a message about being traveling again warning your lull in posts. 

Wetting your lips you set aside your phone feeling a yawn creeping on as you put up your left over food and turned out the lights to climb onto bed and curl up in the blanket you had brought from home feeling your eyes drop shut. A low sigh left you in your drift off to sleep to soak in the rest you could get before your morning of wandering before the afternoon trip to the theater where you had gotten a ticket to see the very man you had fallen onto earlier that day. The one now weighing heavily in your dreams both I and out of character.

.

A nervous wreck you eased into your seat joining the countless other fans in the audience keeping busy, jotting down a few ideas in your pocket journal while others around you either spoke or read from their books and phones. For nearly an hour as the audience filed in and the final touches were set you waited keeping yourself busy working out the dialog for the next series you were starting to flush out in a rare Loki centered tale. Though a man walked onto the stage stirring all to fall silent and shift their attentions to the actors filing onto the stage when introduced.

 ** _“There you are.”_**  In the front row of the audience Richard’s eyes settled as he stepped around his arm chair and lowered feeling a wide grin settling onto his face at the instant he spotted you five chairs in, just barely off to his right. Anxiously Richard’s tongue darted out at your knuckles curling over your lips hiding the sheepish grin matching that blush coating your cheeks at his constant eye contact with you between the clips from the film, director’s comments all up to the audience questions. 

One by one those who wished to got the chance at the mic from the back to the front. Each one worsening the anticipation as to what you could possibly have in mind to ask him.  ** _“Please ask me something. Anything. Just don’t pick anyone but me.”_** His every glance at you a silent plea  ** _“No teasing now. Pick me.”_**

Wetting your lips you grinned at the woman beside you as she handed the mic over. You fidgeted your grip around the stem of it spoting the brit shifting excitedly in his seat as the camera shifted to center you in the frame. With another scanning over the cast then centering onto Richard with a partially focused narrowed gaze at you, unwilling to miss a single detail of your question at your stating, “My question is for Richard.”

He nodded and eased his fingers around his own microphone wetting his lips again while you softly inhaled then asked, “You had mentioned you mentally build your characters, but do you add anything physical.” His brow inched up as you added, “Past muscular bulk or growing and shaving your beard and hair, to make each unique?”

Raising his mic he couldn’t help but lowly ask, “Like what?”

After a weak chuckle you answered as calmly as you could through his damn near sparkling intent gaze locked onto you making your heart race even faster, “Like a hidden freckle or scar or birth mark, something the audience doesn’t necessarily see but it makes the character whole for you.”

He smirks, “Well, Guy had his hidden tattoo until its reveal.” He wet his lips again, “Thorin had this blue geometric mark on his arm, just for me, under all the padding.” After a momentary tilt of his head he continued, “I am curious why you would ask about that in particular, especially the birthmark part. Do you have an unusual birthmark?”

There, he’d finally asked his burning question he’d been aching to know for years now, your fascination with the mark, “I have a heart near my belly button.”

With brows raised he forms a heart with his hands, “A heart?” You nod and he lowers his hands and shifts the mic back towards his mouth through the crowd’s reactions to ask through a curious chuckle, “Is that a family thing, it would be interesting to see if it gets passed down.” With a follow up question he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Do you have any children?”  ** _“Shit..”_**

At the momentary flicker of a drop in his expression only to inch back at your amused smirk when you were unable to help but ask, “No. Are you offering?” He blushed and laughs awkwardly through the raucous reaction in the audience and loud laughter from the cast around him as he smoothed his free hand over his mouth and beard, “You left the door wide open on that one, and with your eyes and my mark it’d be one adorable baby.”

“My eyes… yours are purple!”

You shrug at him with a grin, “I only get to see mine in the mirror, if I could see them myself they might be more appealing, but from here yours are just dazzling.” You pass the mic to the next person holding your playful smile up at him as he sits with his mouth open for a moment in shock still from your teasing offer.  ** _“You little tease..”_**

The woman drew his eyes to her as she asked him her own question when the noise died down again. Though hers was a far more serious conversation with the actor who even drew a couple of the other cast members in to confirm his answer. The final few people got to ask their questions while he continued to steal glances at you until he was forced up out of his chair, thankful that it would only be a few more minutes until the fan photo portion would begin. Unlike the usual rope lined path you would pass through the halls around the theater eyeing the décor and enjoying the snacks provided until you reached the actors at the main hall before you were escorted out.

Again it was from the back to the front so you got a very good look at all there was to see until you finally got to the group of actors who all grouped around you and Richard for your own group photo and then stood out of the frame holding up hearts they doodled onto spare sheets of paper in their wait around you both. When you got your camera back you rolled your eyes blushing and turned to walk off as they chuckled through the final group of women moving forward for their turns. There wasn’t much time for talking past Richard’s warning that he tried to keep them from their joke leaving you to feel a bit empty after such animated snippets of conversations with the amazing man. Another taxi ride later you were welcomed back into the lobby where you eyed the manager approaching you with a grin and stopped in front of you, “There was a delivery for you earlier.”

“A delivery?”

He nodded, “Flowers. Quite a dazzling bouquet while you were out. I left them on the table in your room myself.”

You nodded, “Thank you.”

He grinned and nodded then trotted back to his station while you walked to the elevator puzzled at who would send you flowers.  _“Can’t be…”_ Wetting your lips you stood eyeing the floor number rise tapping your nails along the rail you were holding behind you counting down until you were freed into the hall. A few doors down you unlocked your door and stepped inside only to draw your foot back at the shift of paper under your foot. Curiously you bent to pick it up and switched on the lights grinning at the envelope as you flipped it over and opened it to draw out the note inside.

The simple note almost made you scream when you read,

_“Up for some ice cream?_

_I’ll be in the lobby at ten until half past._

_Feel free to decline if you wish._

_Hope you like orchids._

_\- Richard”_

With your ridiculously large grin you squeaked when you walked through the hotel room and found the large bouquet of Delphinium and plain white orchids in a tall glass vase. Biting your lip you reached into your pocket noting the time and rushed to double check your reflection before squeaking at the bouquet again then made your way down again in a steady pace to be just a couple minutes late.

 

.

 **“She’ll show. She will.”**  Richard again smoothed his hands together grateful for the drivers that brought him back promptly allowing him time to freshen up before going down to wait in the lobby, hoping you would come down before any of the staff had the chance to come and ask him why he was waiting. The ding of the elevator caused him to turn and his cheeks rose when he saw you exit and then cross to him, avoiding a couple along the way in your path. Even out of your sight you could feel the eyes of the manager on you with a grin of his own at the actor’s sheepish turn to guide you towards the doors and stealing a glance as if to ensure you were still intending on joining him.

A few feet from the hotel in the warm evening air Richard glanced down at you pleased at the emptying streets as the next round of shows and distractions opened for those waiting along the sidewalks. “I hope the crew didn’t embarrass you with the doodles.”

With a weak chuckle you glanced up to catch his grin at you, “Well I did ask you on camera if you were offering to father my child. So, sort of fair.”

He chuckled lowly and nipped at his lip peering around then released it to say, “Far from fair. I did, as awkward as it is, wish to thank you for coming. I was a bit afraid you wouldn’t show.”

“Why is that?”

“I have terrible luck with getting dates.” Wetting his lips he eyed your curious glance up at him showing no argument against the notion of a date with him and felt a surge of confidence enough to add, “If you would agree to one with me. I know a great place to eat if you’re free tomorrow night.”

“Mmm.”

His eyes traveled over to you and his chest tightened, “Unless-..”

You shook your head giggling softly replying, “I only, I have tickets tomorrow to a show. You can join me if you like, or we can try for dinner after it’s through if you don’t. Though it lets out a bit late I believe.”

A grin spread across his face, “I would love to join you. What show are we seeing?”

You giggled again, “Not telling.” He chuckled peering at you and you giggled again, “More fun that way.”

“How will I know what to wear?”

“Well, I usually wear a dress, but only because it’s that or jeans. You’ve been traveling, wear what you like.”

He sighed at you giving you a quizzical narrowing of his eyes as you smirked up at him, “I do have a vest and some slacks. My suits weren’t needed. Will that do?”

You grinned up at him, “You will look dashing as always.” He chuckled again, “Though I am curious as to why you would want to go on a date with me. I hope it’s not due to my teasing comments earlier.”

“No. However, that, will have to wait until we at least have our ice cream.”

“Keeping secrets already?”

Giving you another playful grin he purred back, “I am not keeping secrets, only hoping the ice cream may ease a question I have for you.”

You nodded then eased into the conversation he started about your interests lasting until you had cups of ice cream in hand and walked until you reached a bench under the moonlight aimed at a bridge not far from there. Wetting his lips he sat down then subtly shifted a bit closer to your side watching as you crossed your ankles and tasted yet another spoonful of your ice cream easing his grin out as well as his question, “I was wondering, about how long will your latest Francis series run?” Your eyes darted up to his and his grin grew, “It’s fantastic. I can’t stop reading it.”

“You read my story?”

He nodded, “I’ve read all the works you’ve posted on your page, countless times over the years.”

“Ye-, years?!”

He nodded then chuckled, “I might have been spied on at the Hannibal set with the guys poking around your page for the ones with them involved. Only to pull them into the others. Why they got so excited about running into you. Plus, Mads’ more than a bit irritated at the lack of attention your series get.”

“Well they’re drowning in attention now.” He raised his brow and you shook your head, “Nevermind.”

“So, how long will this one be? I have to know when I can finally breathe normally again without that wave of the unknown creeping up behind me.”

You giggled and stated, “There’s about twenty more parts.”

“Twe-, ugh.. Alright. That, actually feels about right. It is a dreadful wait, but alright.”

As he eased his spoon back out from between his closed lips his brow twitched up at your eyes locked on his in an unreadable expression. With a shake of your head and a grin as you filled your own spoon for another mouthful he grinned too and filled his as you looked out at the bridge mumbling, “Those eyes of yours will not earn you any spoilers.”

Raising his spoon to his lips he fired back, “If not my eyes, then what?” making you roll your eyes.

An eager bouncing child broke your conversation flapping and pointing his hands in his turns to his older brother clearly rushing to collect him. In rapid French the elder boy apologized as your eyes turned to the signed plea from the younger boy. Locked in a double language barrier Richard sat puzzled until you translated for the younger boy, “He’s saying they have to get a picture for their Mum.”

Richard glanced at you then to the boys and smiled at them with a nod stirring curious smiles at you both until you repeated in fluid French, “If you want a picture I’ll take it for you.”

The elder boy drew out his phone as you set aside your bowl to stand for them to huddle in close to Richard and his creeping grin. In a fumble in your pocket you drew out your journal to tear a blank back page free and passed the pen to Richard as you translated for the younger boy, “He’s asking if you will write, ‘I found this in the hedgerow. You have to look hard.’” Richard smirked recognizing the quote he wrote down then signed underneath it and passed it to the boys who rattled off that their Mother loved North and South and it got her to stop crying after their Dad had passed last year.

After a somehow gapless short conversation with the boys at your translations for both sides you were back in place at his side as the pair darted off home again with their prizes in hand to brighten their Mother’s day at the chance encounter. In a purr he asked you as you returned to your ice cream, “You sign and speak French?”

You giggled while swallowing your mouthful answering, “Among other things.” He raised a brow and you wet your lips, “My Gran and Gramps met in the service. Run in on a base. Though she spoke Italian and Greek while he spoke only French and a pitiful attempt at German.” Richard’s grin grew as you giggled, “Being the stubborn people they were, both refused to learn the other’s language, huge feud between Italian and French clans in their houses. So, naturally they both continued to flirt in their own languages until they found and signed up for signing classes.”

Richard chuckled, “Wow.”

You giggled and nodded, “63 years later, they still refuse to speak the other’s language and even after the wedding and the babies, oh yes,” Richard chuckled as you added, “They had twelve. The feud still lives on as does the refusal to speak the other’s language.”

Richard’s brows raised up, “Still?!”

You nodded with another giggle, “Still. I mean sure they’re both mainly fluent in the other’s language, but on principle they refuse to speak it. So the kids and grandkids its tradition to learn all the languages, including sign.”

“Wow. So, whose side are you on?”

You giggled saying, “Well, I’m in France. Though Gran booked me a three week stay with family out in Italy in a couple months to earn back the difference. Just how it is, tug of war but no clear demand to choose outright, so a clear pampered neutral right now.”

From that family was brought up with more intimate tales of your youths mingled with tales of travels. Eventually your bowls were emptied and you had turned to face one another on the bench with knees overlapping as his arm curled across the bench with his fingers brushing along the knee on your leg propped up between you as your head rested on your crossed arms on the back of the bench.

When the position had hit him he drew out his phone and stole a picture in a sudden scoot back to the end of the bench then back again making you giggle awkwardly breaking free from the position at his asking, “Why don’t we get you back to someplace softer for you to contort in before sunrise, hmm?”

Holding back your pitifully blush inducing thoughts you accepted his hand up and tried not to watch as his hand kept hold of it to rest in his between you for the walk back to the hotel as his other threw away your trash he’d collected. The time becoming more evident as you neared the hotel feeling the brisk tension of the upcoming wave of people about to embark on the start of their day while you walked sleeplessly into the elevator still locked in conversation with Richard who couldn’t help but keep inching closer to your side.

At your floor, then to your door, and then inside when a sketch you had mentioned was requested to be sent to him if possible was found in one of your journals and shown to him as you lounged against the pillow coated headboard of your bed at his side sharing that and a few more. The conversation carried on for a bit longer but at your head tapping a certain spot on his shoulder mid giggle behind your hands you seemed to hit a button that tugged you into a fierce drop into sleep on his way to finding out what the rest of your journal had inside. Warmly you snuggled at his side as your eyes clamped shut and his body turned to fold around you through a drowsy grumble and a wiggle to ease off the covers and tug you under with him in his zombie like state.

.

Alone you woke in the clearly too large of a nesting spot under the covers smelling entirely of Richard’s left over cologne that still felt warm as if he’d just slipped out. Smacking your lips you eased out of bed rolling your head and grumbling at the belt pinching your middle you quickly undid allowing you to fumble out of your jeans you left on the foot of the bed soon covered by the sweater you tugged off over your head. Staying in the bright purple lacy and silk layers you walked into the bathroom to brush your teeth and lazily make your way back to where your bag was to grab your pajamas on top of it. However halfway to it your froze at the body reentering the bedroom doorway left open that froze with wide eyes taking in your ever detail from the hidden number to your pitifully drooping bun from the top of your head you had tuck it into the night before and the fabled little brown heart on your stomach.

Without words his eyes followed yours to the pajamas he picked up then passed to you after a few steps, attempting to break the awkward silence by saying as you layered up, “I ordered breakfast. Shouldn’t be too long now.” He wet his lips, “I thought I might be able to sneak back in again after popping out to freshen up a bit.”

You nodded and without thinking your hand grabbed his and you led him back to bed easing his smile back across his face at your clearly intention of snuggling with him till the food arrived, “Thank you, for the food. I usually miss their breakfast cut off time here.”

Folding your legs under you he settled and eased off his sneakers again to tuck his legs back into bed, swinging his arm over you to rest around your side in the return to the comfortable snuggling position as you switched on the tv. Finding a program to hold each  other through in a battle not to fall asleep again lasting until the knock at the door. With the cart emptied Richard left it back in the hall and returned to your snuggling pile for the rest of the show you eventually fell asleep through once again until a couple hours before the show at a call Richard had gotten. A grin for a parting was all you got as you both resigned to showering and changing to ready for the show.

Fully dressed and bearing a fresh dab of his comforting cologne Richard stood outside your door and nearly dropped when he saw you fully dolled up for your night out. Hand in hand he led you out to the car waiting for you and loved each and every second of the show you had chosen and the late dinner he had reserved a table for after. Again at your door this time a gentle kiss was claimed with a promise for breakfast to be shared again in the morning at his cheeky request of sneaking down in his pajamas after his pre planned final set of work calls he had to see to before bed.

.

The pajama clad brit passed through your door at your opening it and made way for the bed with his hand fixed in yours to wrap you back into a sleeping nest waiting for the meal he had ordered for you both before coming down again. Once the meal was finished and cleared up again you were back in his arms melting into the kiss he claimed from you breaking at his grin from your soft sigh. Easing his forehead against yours breaking your attempt at burrowing your head in the crook of his neck. The loss of his hand on your side left a warm handprint where it had been to stroke his fingers gently across your cheek adoringly through his purred plea, “Please tell me you aren’t jetting off today.”

Through his lips planting on yours again you giggled softly then replied after his lips left yours, “Two and a half weeks.”

Wider his grin spread and he rumbled back, “Good. I have three weeks free before being tugged away again. Plenty of time to enjoy Paris with you and then follow you back home again for a few more days, if you wouldn’t mind.” Gently he moved your hand from his chest to kiss your knuckles widening your grin in return.

“You really assume I might turn you down?”

Richard smirked and purred, “We did just meet for the first time a couple days ago.” The ding from his phone made him roll back to claim his phone that made his smirk deepen reading his notification, “Your update.”

You giggled as he unlocked his phone to read it as you buried your head in the crook of his neck mumbling, “Just a warning, Francis pleasures himself in that part.”

Richard couldn’t help but chuckle rumbling back after a nip at his lip, “Good. Poor thing has been holding back, needs a release of some sort.” His head turned to press a kiss to your temple, “I do love how you express the tensions with these scenes.”

Against his shoulder you mumbled, “I, how are you fine with this?”

He chuckled after kissing your forehead again, “It is so masterfully done I often forget I have played the role at all until their names snap back to my attention.” His eyes trailed from you to the story he grinned and nipped his lip through while you hid and tried not to peek up at the username of the account he was leaving his review on until he chose to tell you himself.

.

Day after day for two and a half weeks you explored all there was to see hand in hand returning to snuggle and kiss your handsome stranger who by the day was growing more and more affectionate towards you. Back again you found yourselves in the same airport with matching bags checked stirring chuckles from you both. To the gate you found your way and waited for your chance to board, Richard with a far wider grin knowing he’d managed to swap both your tickets for joining seats in first class for the long flight so he could delve into your stories with you to explain his questions fully withholding his affections publicly until you had landed.

A few days after commuting back and forth to meet up with you Richard again was off into the air after a knee buckling final kiss and a promise to meet up with you again in Italy. 

...

Though at his assumed missed chance with you after a delayed flight in he slumped up to his assigned room, ignoring the creeping grin on the manager’s face as he left him at the door. In an irritated sigh he left his shoes by his bag in the living room and made his way in the dark for the bedroom, using the light in the main hall to guide him to drop heavily onto the bed. The shifting body he partially fell on made him jerk back up though to his knees lost for words as his chest tightened only to ease at the lamp being switched on revealing you curled up hiding another lacy number behind one of the pillows and comforter.

Instantly a curious smirk eased onto his lips as you asked, “Richard?”

In a low purr he asked, “Did you leave plans for me to get a key to this room?”

You shook your head only to drop your forehead to your knees with a low groan, “Gran.”

He chuckled then purred, “What does your gran have to do with this?”

You sighed and raised your head, “Her Cousin owns the hotel. Gramps’ relative must have told him about France.”

Richard chuckled again, “You don’t mind?”

Shaking your head he grinned moving to ease the clovers down, removing his belt to lay at the foot of the bed while crawling towards the pillows under the covers you brushed back for him to be curled in his arms. In a reach back he switched off the lamp allowing you to move the pillow covering your chest behind you then grip the covers to wrap around yourself hiding your skimpy layers to settle in his arms while he folded around you. Steadily his grin returned at your nose blindly stroking against his making him purr, “Back to sleep Darling.”

A soft chuckle left you and you whispered almost at his lips, “In a minute.” Tilting your head just slightly easing your lips into planting against his stirring a deep chuckle from him through his lean in to return the deepening kiss.

 


End file.
